Duplicating machine



Sept. 10, 1935.

l. M. NEWGARD 2,013,832`

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed April lo, 1933' v INVENTOR: /VG//z/AL@ /17Msn/6,490

BY mm;

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 10, 1935 DUPLICATING MACHINE Application April 10, 1933,Serial No. 665,458

12 Claims.

This invention relates to duplicating machines and has particularreference to a device capable of performing both hectographic andstenciling operations without the necessity of making any changes in themachine whatsoever.

The general object of the invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive device for performing such double function. To this end myobject is to provide a skeletonized device for use on a table, or othersuitable flat surface, and which uses such surface for its base. In thismanner do I not only provide a very inexpensive device, but alsoeliminat-e a great deal of weight, making the device truly portable,even by children, and for this reason ideal for use in schools and inthe home. The further objects. and advantages features of the inventionare hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the appended drawing,of which:

Fig. 1 illustrates, in perspective, the device of my invention set on atable, the front portion of the device and table being partly out awayfor the sake of clearness,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional side elevation, substantially through thecenter of the device,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device, viewed from one end and withthe front portion of the device cut away in order more clearly ytoillustrate the important features of the invention,

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional side elevation illustrating a modified formof the device, and

Fig. 5 illustrates details of construction the importance of which ishereinafter fully explained.

The device of my invention comprises a rectangular frame and this frameis, in Figs. l, 2 and 3, shown made in two parts, l and 2, and theseparts are pivotally assembled at 3. The frame is of a size to support aflexible printing medium 4, which for convenience hereinafter is termedthe lm, and it is at each end made with a downwardly directed groove, 5,6, in which the ends of the lm are shown seated. For the purpose ofseating, the film is provided at each end with a metal clip l and 8, ofthe proper thickness to fit the grooves.

The method of seating the film is best indicated in Fig. 2, in which thepart 2 of the frame is shown upwardly turned on the pivots 3. Byrelatively rotating the frame parts in this manner, it is noticed thatthe grooves l and 8 are brought closer together, thereby to permitseating of the lm. But in returning the parts to their initial, alinedposition, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, it is found that the nim becomesstretched very tightly and that it is held rmly in position. The frameis now laid on a table, as indicated in Fig. l, and the device is incondition for operation.

The exposed side of the lm is covered with a gelatinous substance, suchas ordinarily employed in hectographing or duplicating devices, and asheet of paper, the original to be copied, is laid, face down, on thislm. A suitable instrument, such as a roller or bar, in this case achanneled squeegee bar it, is now caused to travel back and forth overthe top of the paper to bring it into complete contact with the film,the gelatinous surface of which absorbs ink from the paper. Copies aresubsequently made, :all as Well known in the duplicating art. It isimportant to note, and it is well known to those versed in the art, thatthe paper adheres tenaciously to the lm and is diflicult to removewithout tearing the paper or damaging the film, making the removal aslow operation.

It took me a long time to devise simple and effective means ofovercoming this difculty. Realizing that a paper stop would be necessaryin order properly to loc-ate each succeeding sheet of paper, the problemwas solved by combining, inone member, means for locating the Sheets ofpaper along one edge and corner and for simultaneously maintaining thesame edge of the paper elevated above the film surface. Such means ishere shown to consist of a member having a ilat base il, in contact withthe film, and being made with vertical walls rising from this base toform locating stops l2 and i3 for the paper sheets. This locator, onceplaced on the lm, is found to adhere so firmly that impact contact, dueto ordinary manipulation of the device, is insumcient to dislodge oreven move the locator.

A sheet of paper is now laid on the lm with one end abutting the stopsi2 and I3, causing a narrow strip H3 of the paper to rest on the basell, separated from the iilm. It is noticed that the front edge of thelocator base is shown, 45

at l5, to be bent back at an acute angle to provide an inclined rest forthe strip M of the paper, for the purpose which now will be explained.The channeled squeegee bar Il) is employed, in preference to a roller,because its use facilitates the removal of the paper from the film. Thesqueegee bar is best manipulated by inserting the four fingers of thehand into its channel and by placing the thumb against its Vertical walll0. When now the bar is drawn along the paper, towards the locator, itis found that, as it reaches the curved front edge, it causes the paperstrip I4 to rise from the ineline I5 and to swing over against the wallI4. The operator now slips his thumb behind this upturned portion,presses it with the thumb against the wall I and pulls the bar, with thepaper, in the general direction of the arrow I6, see Fig. 4, and turningthe bar, with a natural movement of the hand, in the same direction, tokeep the paper folded around the corner Il.

To prevent the frame from sliding on a smooth surface during theoperation of the device, it is well to provide means for clamping theframe in position, and such means may conveniently take the shape of aperforated member 20, detachably seated in the frame part 2 and engagedby a threaded clamping member 2|. A threaded nut 22 operates to draw themember 2l tightly against the underside of the table top 23. Only onesuch clamp is here shown, but additional clamps may, of course, beembodied in the device at any point found in need of clamping.

In Fig. 4, the frame is shown made in one piece, 25, and a grooved bar21 is shown seated within the channeled frame end portion 26. This baris made with a threaded projection 28, which extends through the framewall and is, outside the wall, engaged by a nut 29. The lm end 34 isseated in the groove of this bar, and the latter is thereupon drawnoutward, by means of the nut 29, to stretch the lm. In all otherrespects, the device may remain as hereinbefore described.

The printing medium 4 may be a gelatinous hectograph film, ashereinbefore considered, or it may be a fabric pad for use instenciling. Such a pad, capable of absorbing a quantity of ink, is

, shown at 35 in Fig. 5, and it is shown made with a stencil on aninkpad is provided, and this inkpad may be suspended in the frame inplace of the gelatin lm 4 and used for stenciling without in any waychanging the device or modifying its operation.

Whether a gelatin film or ink pad is used, such printing medium must bemade with an impervious backing to prevent ink from penetrating to thetable. Good material is oil cloth, as the soft side takes Vgelatinecoating nicely. For the ink pad, oil cloth with very thick ilanneledface is preferable.

The device of my invention has 'no base. Its support furnishes the onlybase. The gelatinous hectograph lrn is elastic enough to make up for anyunevenness in the surface of the support, and so good results areattained. Where, however, the stenciling inkpad is substituted, it maybe necessary, in order to obtain uniform printing, to place a resilientpad beneath the inkpad. For the purpose of such pad, I have showngrooves 45, 4| cut in the inner edge of the side members of the frame,as best shown in Fig. 3. A suitable, resilient pad 42 is made withmarginal ns 43, 44, of the proper thickness to slide into and to t thesegrooves. VWhen the frame part 2 isturned up, as indicated in Fig. 2,this pad may readily be inserted in theY grooves 43 and 44. Or the paymay be attached to the frame in any other convenient manner.

The various structures combining to form the device of my invention maybe modified, the instrumentalities shown being merely illustrative ofthe invention. The film slots 5, 6 may, for example, be placedhorizontally to open in opposite directions, instead of being downwardlydirected as shown.

I claim:

1. A self supporting rectangular frame comprising two solid yoke-shapedmembers having their ends pivotally joined, the frame vhaving its crossmembers at each end provided with downwardly directed slots for holdinga flexible printing medium, the latter being insertable in said slotswhen the two frame parts are swung out of line on their pivots butbecoming tightly stretched when the frame parts are again swung intocontinued alinement. 15

2. The combination with a frame fitted to hold a lm, of a locatorcomprising a base seatable on said lm and held in place by adhesion,said locator having back and end stops for sheets of paper rising fromsaid base and made with its 2O front edge curved backward to hold theedge of said paper elevated above said film.

3. In a duplicator having a gelatinous lm, a paper locator having a baseseatable on said film and adhesively retained, said locator being madewith walls rising from said base for locating the paper and having itsfront edge curved backward over the base, in combination with a squeegeebar for pressing the paper against the g film, which bar, uponapproaching the said curved edge, causes the paper resting on the edgeto rise away from the edge and to swing toward said bar.

4. A rectangular frame made in two parts pivotally joined intermediateits ends and having its cross members at each end provided with parallelslots for holding a printing medium, the latter being insertable in saidslots when the two frame parts are swung out of line on their pivots butbecoming tightly stretched when the frame parts are again returned tocontinued alinement, a resilient backing for said printing medium, therebeing in the pivotally connected side members opposed longitudinalgrooves yfor receiving said backing. 45

5. A rectangular frame rcomprising side members and two cross membersrigidly combining said side members, the side members beingrmade in twoparts pivotally joined intermediate their ends and near one end therebyto provide one relatively long and one relatively short frame iportion,the end members being fitted to receive the ends of a flexible printingmedium which medium is insertable when the short frame portion is swungout of line and becomes stretched when 55 the short frame again isbrought into line with the long frame, and means attachable to the endmember of the short frame portion for clamping the frame to a support.

6. A rectangular frame made in two portions pivotally joined, the framejoints being near one end of the frame, providing one relatively longframe portion for resting on a support and a relatively short portioncapable of being swung upward for attaching a eXible printing medium,

the end members of the frame being made with downwardly directed groovesfor seating the ends of said printing medium, the latter beinginsertable in the grooves of the members when the short portion iselevated but becoming stretched when the short portion is again swungdownward into alinement with the long portion, and a detachable backing,the inner longitudinal edges of the frame having inwardly directedgrooves for receiving and holding the edges of said backing.

7. The combination with a flexible printing medium and a flexiblebacking therefor, of a rectangular frame made in two portions pivotallyjoined, the end members of the frame being made with downwardly directedgrooves for seating the ends of said printing median, the latter beinginsertable in said grooves when the frame portions are swung out of lineon their pivots but becoming stretched when the portions are againturned into continued alinement, there being in the inner edges of theframe sides inwardly directed opposed grooves for receiving saidiiexible backing.

8. The combination with a support, of a rectangular frame placeable onsaid support, said frame being made in two portions pivotally connectedintermediate its ends, the end members being tted to receive the ends ofa flexible printing medium which medium is insertable when the frameportions are swung out of line but becomes stretched when the portionsare again swung into continued alinement, and detachable means forclamping the frame on said support, the end member of the frame beingiitted to receive and hold said detachable means.

9. The combination with a table, a flexible printing medium, and aflexible backing, of a rectangular frame placeable on the iiat top ofsaid table and made in two parts pivotally joined intermediate the endsof the frame, the frame ends being tted to receive the ends of saidprinting medium when the frame parts are swung out of line and tostretch the said printing medium when the said parts are again swunginto continued alinement, and detachable means for clamping the frame tothe top of the table,

the frame being fitted to receive and to hold said means, the framesides being made with opposed' inwardly directed grooves for receivingsaid flexible backing.

10. A rectangular frame made in two parts pivotally joined intermediateits ends and having its cross members at each end tted to receive aflexible printing medium, said medium being attachable when the twoframe parts are swung out of line on their pivots, whereupon one framepart is laid on a flat support and the other part lowered on to thesupport, thereby to stretch the printing medium, the weight of the framemaintaining the parts in contact with the support against the tensio-nof the printing medium.

1 1. A rectangular frame made in two parts pivotally joined intermediateits ends and having its cross members at each end grooved to receive aflexible printing medium, the latter being insertable in said grooveswhen the frame parts are swung out of line on their pivots and becomingstretched when the frame is laid flat on top of a support, the weight ofthe frame being sufeient to maintain it in contact with the support.

12. In a duplicator, in combination, a rectangular frame made from twosolid parts pivotally joined intermediate its ends and having its crossmember at each end provided with slots, a flexible rectangular printingmedium having its ends reinforced with metal clips shaped to nt saidslots, the printing medium being attachable t the frame by insertingsaid clips into the said slots when the two frame parts are swung out ofline on their pivots to be stretched when the parts again are broughtinto continued alinement.

I. M. NEWGARD.

